Behind the Scenes at the Brigham: Environmental Services

Whenever there’s a call for help, Xiomara Lopez of Environmental Services responds to her colleagues or supervisors the same way: “Just tell me what you need,” she says with a smile.

Part of the Brigham community for 12 years, Lopez takes immense pride in ensuring the hospital’s facilities are spotless.

“The Brigham is my second house, and the people are my family,” she said. “It’s important to me that the hospital is very clean for everyone who comes here.”

Lopez is one of 468 members of the Environmental Services team, which works nonstop to keep Brigham facilities across the main and distributed campuses sanitary, safe and attractive for patients, visitors, faculty and staff, in accordance with established policies, procedures and relevant regulations.

The team is also a statewide leader, representing the only Environmental Services department in Massachusetts to extend a training and certificate program to its staff, said Loay Kitmitto, director of Environmental Services.

He added that the team is also the only one Massachusetts to support a web-based application — Brigham @ Its Best — that allows faculty and staff to submit maintenance and housekeeping requests online.

“Without exception, everyone on our team is personally committed to ensuring that every corner of the Brigham is clean and safe for our patients, their families and our colleagues,” Kitmitto said. “You would be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated group of people, and I am immensely proud of their contributions each day.”

Lopez, who started her career here in the Mary Horrigan Connors Center for Women and Newborns, works primarily in the Shapiro Cardiovascular Center, where she is responsible for cleaning the public areas, conference rooms, restrooms, staff locker rooms and nearby locations during the morning and early afternoon.

As hospital leaders, faculty and staff head to the Zinner Breakout Room each weekday morning to attend the Brigham’s Daily Safety Huddle, Lopez can frequently be spotted tidying up the surrounding area. Colleagues say she is particularly meticulous about ensuring the restrooms under her purview are sparkling — checking in on them four to six times a day during each shift.

Rachel Wilson, PT, DPT, a senior physical therapist who works in the outpatient Rehabilitation Services clinic on Shapiro’s first floor, said she and her colleagues deeply appreciate the care, attention and helping hand Lopez provides without fail.

“Xiomara is incredibly diligent and on top of her work, and she appears in a flash when we call for anything,” Wilson said. “She has a magic touch with cleaning, and she is always smiling and friendly.”

“Behind the Scenes at the Brigham” is a monthly series in Brigham Bulletin that provides a glimpse of the people whose everyday contributions help make the Brigham a world-class institution. Is there an individual or team you’d like to see featured? Send your ideas tobulletin@bwh.harvard.edu.